The Health Ministry has embarked on a process for  Pembrolizumab, a triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) treatment, to be included in the Maltese formulary.

This is the most aggressive form of breast cancer, with patients usually treated through chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy.

Pembrolizumab is the only treatment that further reduces chances of recurrence by 40%. The drug is currently available in Malta but one full course of it, in line with EMA recommendations, can cost up to €120,000.

TNBC is diagnosed in around 30 patients in Malta every year.

Although the EMA only approved the treatment in October, funds for it used to be provided but this was halted in mid-year.

Times of Malta reported on Monday that some breast cancer patients are having to pay tens of thousands of euros out of their own pocket or skip the treatment altogether because they can’t afford it.

In a statement, the government said the treatment was certified by the European Medicines Authority on October 19.

It noted that, since 2017, around 17 new cancer medicines started to be given free of charge.

During this legislature, more new cancer medicines of the highest quality were included in the formulary with more than 500 patients benefitting.